Low Moor and Oakenshaw Wildlife

The pair of Gadwall that I left Toad Holes Beck have returned. I found the pair yesterday on one of the ponds, so where they have been is anyone’s guess!

Little else was about.

I can now give an update where the ringed Black-headed gull I found on the 23/1/2017 at Harold Park Lake originated from.

I have done some reasearch and found that the bird was first ringed at Stavanger Norway on the 22/4/2016 and was aged as a 3cy bird.  It remained in and around the area of Stavanger and was sighted twice once on the 30/6/2016 feeding with other gulls and again on the 9/7/2016.

I then found the bird at Harold Park Lake on the 23th and 25th of January 2017.  To me this suggests the bird (given it’s age ) may be moving south in autumn to the UK and possibly returning to breed in Norway…

Today I was still on my quest to find Waxwings but still no joy so ended up Harold Park Lake to see if anything new was about. However, the lake was half frozen and thankfully a good number of Black-headed Gulls were standing on the ice. I started checking them only to discover that 3 of them were ringed.

I have sent details of the bird, ring and location to the BTO (Euring) so fingers crossed I will be able to see where my friend has come from…I will update when i get some news.

Received an email today from Barbara Rogers that approx 8 to 10 Waxwings were in the tall trees at the end of the cricket field at East view, Dyehouse Road around mid morning.

So they are here..keep an eye out and please send me any sightings or even better photos of these lovely birds please

The pair of Gadwall that were at Toad Holes Beck on the 28/12/2015 have returned to the site but with another male Gadwall…

I have received a report from Phil  who lives in Wyke that at 11.12 on the 5th of January near to St Mary’s Infant School Wyke he saw a Short eared Owl been mobbed by crows.  Phil thinks the birds may have been quartering fields alongside Leeds & Whitehall Road/ The Wyke Lion area.

This is excellent news. I have only seen 1 SEO locally and that was in Oct Oh..about 15 years ago.

If anyone see this bird would you please contact me. Thank You

Yes my final walk around the patch today of 2016…Sadly the Gadwall have left the area now but at least there on my list for 2016.  Caldene fields held a Pied and a Grey Wagtail. At Raw Nook Nr there were 2 Goldcrest feeding and 4 Bullfinches.

And at Toad Holes Beck there was a nice flock of feeding finches with at least 42 Goldfinches, 1 Siskin, 5 Chaffinch and 2 Bullfinch.

Goldfinches at Toad Holes Beck

A VERY HAPPY NEW TO ALL…

Today I decided to do a ‘ Birding day ‘ within the village area of Low Moor, mainly to see if I could find anything a unusual.

The areas I watched were: Raw Nook nr, Caldene Fields, Toad Holes Beck, Royd’s Hall Dam and Harold Park Lake.  I found a total of 44 different species with much of my time spent in the 3 first sites.

Part of the flock of 69 Canada Geese found at Royd’s Hall dam.

A flyover Cormorant to the east over Caldene Fields started the morning off and a Woodcock in Raw Nook Nr was a welcome sight.  Other birds of local interest were a party of 9 Lesser Redpoll, a pair of Siskin, 10 Goosander and 2 little grebe.

I could not find any Great Crested Grebes which are regular at Harold Park Lake.

Tufted Duck were found to be plenty full at Both Harold Park Lake and Royd’s Hall dam where as at the large pond at Toad Holes Beck they are only occasional visitors.

Sadly nothing unusual was found… I even checked the goalposts for a possible Med Gull but without success…